Enoch, the Man Taken by God

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"By faith, Enoch was taken up so that he should not see death, and he was not found because God has taken him. Now before he was taken and he was commended as having pleased God.  And without faith, it is impossible to please him, for whoever draw near to God must believe that He exists and that he rewards those who seek Him." Hebrews 11:5-6

Hebrews 11 talked about mighty men of God from different generations who exemplified extraordinary faith. Many a time we have heard about a man named Enoch who was one of the champions of faith in this chapter. He is known on those few verses as the one who ‘was taken away by God and then was no more.’  The Bible mentioned little about him, yet his experience cannot be discounted. The few verses that determined his person communicate so much more to us if only we would look closely.

On how he was taken, surely it was the whole of him. As many commentators believed, Enoch was taken wholly in his physical body to be with the Lord since verse 5 says, ‘... that he should not see death, and he was not found.’ Interestingly, God did not take him because he had faith that he will be taken by Him, for he had already lived 365 years when God took him.  And in those years, Enoch had lived pleasing God; confirming in verse 6 that he pleased God with his faith. (For it is impossible to please God without faith.)  I noted to myself, he pleased God. For 365 300 years (ref. Gen. 5:21). 

Many would declare that they would die for Christ, yet many of us struggle to live for Him. That daily basis of battle is overwhelmingly exhausting. At times, it even overcomes us. How did Enoch do it? As I study Hebrews 11, I realized that living out our faith would only be possible through faith as well! 

“For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith for faith, as it is written, “The righteous shall live by faith.” Romans 1:17

The undeniable truth of living a holy life makes it much easier to just excuse ourselves oftentimes. This difficult task will only be resolved if we will seriously consider these bases as our cause to labor well in our walk.

1. That God and His Providence are ever present with us. 

It makes it easier for a man to bear his cross with patience knowing that God’s sovereignty is always present even at a time of affliction.  That despite sufferings lay upon him, he knew that the Lord had already determined it for his good, no matter how visibly distressing it is. For if you walk with the King, who could dare do you wrong? “So, he that walks with God, what evil can touch him?” (W. Perkins). The point is, people around you may think of evil against you, but the Lord has the power to dispose of it all for your good.

We remember Joseph the Dreamer, the guy who was plotted by his brothers to death. But then again, providentially, their plan changed to subject him to slavery. He suffered for many years as a slave and then was thrown to prison. Later on, the Lord prospered him to be the second most powerful man next to the Pharoah in Egypt at a time that powers will be recognized more than ever. When his brothers discovered who he became, they feared him.  But then he argued, “Fear not… for am I not under God?” (Gen. 50:19)

2. That We are in God’s Presence

That consciousness that we are in the very presence of God every second of our life persuades our choices to please him than ourselves. Sins become more visible to us when we see our invisible God with our hearts. His fullness is always brought to our remembrance - how righteous His judgments are and how powerful He can execute it. We flashback once more to Joseph when he was accused to have mistreated his mistress, he answered, “How shall I commit this great wickedness, and to sin against God?” (Gen. 39:9).  The holy company of God keeps him away from committing sins.

The duty of our faith to be faithful is dependent not on itself but on the God who gifted us this wondrous grace. To have faith on His providence and His presence is to bring remembrance that we are not our own but belong to God, and for that, we are preserved until His return. Soli Deo Gloria!

Reference: Hebrews 11 Commentary by William Perkins

Life is like a breath. How have you used it so far?

O Lord, make me know my end

and what is the measure of my days;

let me know how fleeting I am!

Behold, you have made my days a few handbreadths,

and my lifetime is as nothing before.

Surely all mankind stands as a mere breath

Surely a man goes about as a shadow!

Surely for nothing they are in turmoil;

man heaps up wealth and does not know who will gather!"

-Psalm 39:4-6

If I were to measure life, how would I evaluate it? Through the number of years, achievements, relationships, or wealth? Perceptions may differ but the question remains, which measurement really quantifies?  We haven’t been at the end of our course, but surely our glimpse is crystal clear, and so we know the answer to that question.

We drift away with this so-called "life"

It is not unknown that people drift away with this so-called "life.” We are like the Israelites, gathering meat in the desert, thinking it will be stored away until we need it, only to find out soon enough that the maggots had their share.  What a waste of time! All the hard work put into it.  The Lord clearly told them what is to be done; gather what is enough for the day. They have known what to do from the start, but they chose another way, a way seemed good to them.

Fast forward to our times now, we are so consumed with the things going on in our lives.  Getting a promotion, fancy cars, building a house, raising children, establishing a business -name it, all the things that fill our heads. This is what we must do and we have to fulfill and we have to achieve. Then we all shout, “For the future!” How confident we are! Psalm says, surely, we confuse ourselves with such things. 

Then turn away from God

We turn our heads away from what God has called us to do. No? What are we busy today? What is the longing of our soul? We ponder our earthly needs more than our spiritual life. Our pleasure craves perishable things rather than eternal ones. The more we deny, the more we sink deep in the turmoil, inadvertently grasping the invisible idols we have built.

And then we laugh shamelessly. It would pass by like every other day, we thought. The same day as the times that we have ignored our conscience and embrace our earthly pleasures and treasures. We toil yet we will never know who will gather our wealth. What vanity! If all we have today is what we see, we are miserable!  If what we deem important do not differ from a natural man, then where is our hope? 

The Psalmist realized that he is at the mercy of God. The Lord can “consume like a moth what is dear to him” as he disciplines him for his sin. And so he cried out to God, “Deliver me from my transgressions” and “look away from me.”  

“And now, O Lord, for what do I wait? My hope is in you."

Stand or fall, or both? 

What is there to hope for? All other things are mere sand that can be tossed by waves. It is destined to be ruined and bury you nowhere deep. Run to the Rock, a sure foundation. Yes, there will be tossing and beating, but a man whose hope is in God will stand in the midst of his scorners. He may stumble and fall, but His grace will lift him up in all the storms. 

Like a breath, a shadow, or as nothing before God, may we see our lives as it is, and not to indulge into things that do not profit our eternity.  Every moment is a rare opportunity to please our Maker, may we not miss it. And when the time comes that we take our last, we will see His the light of His face and rejoice in His presence.